1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electronic transaction apparatus provided with a function allowing a conversion between an electronic transaction local message having a user proper local format and an electronic transaction message having a standard format such as EDIFACT and to a computer readable storage medium in which is recorded a control program for executing a format conversion in an electronic transaction, and more particularly to an electronic transaction apparatus provided with a mapping function ensuring an effective setting of link indicative of correspondence between items of both the messages upon the creation of a conversion table for use in a message conversion and to a computer readable storage medium having therein recorded a control program for executing a format conversion in an electronic transaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system is rapidly spreading on an international scale beyond individual countries, the EDI system performing inter-business transactions such as order placing/receiving of commodities and article management by use of electronic messages. Conventional EDI system has a relatively strong localism. In Japan for example, development has been promoted of the EDI systems proper to individual types of business. In the electric industry for example, EIAJ standard has been provided which is promoted by the Electronic Industries Association of Japan. However, actual inter-business transactions have been widespread beyond individual industries, with the result that in Japan CII syntax rule has been provided as a national standard EDI and in the US ANSI X. 12 has been provided. Moreover, EDIFACT is an international standard EDI and is prevailing mainly in Europe. Then, it is desired in the near future that a global EDI system is constructed on a global scale through a switchover to the international standard, INTEREDIF in both the US and Japan.
However, the EDI system which has currently been put to practical use deals with electronic messages in conformity with the user proper local formats which can be industrial standards. In order to ensure a smooth switchover to the international standard EDIFACT while effectively utilizing the local formatted resources, importance is attached to the function of a translator for performing exchange between electronic messages in conformity with the local formats of individual enterprises and electronic messages in conformity with the standard format. The translator necessitates a conversion table indicative of correspondence between local format items and standard format items, so that a mapping operation for creating the conversion table results in an essential operation. In the process of mapping for creating the conversion table, the operator ordinarily performs an operation linking the standard format items with the local format items corresponding thereto. However, a single message, one unit of the electronic transaction messages, consists of e.g., one thousand order items, which requires a considerable amount of work for linking.
Furthermore, the messages often have a complicate structure such as a nest structure for items, with the result that the mapping operation for linking the standard items and local items necessitates enormous time and labor.